Literary Analysis Essay on Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

What do we learn about Jacobs's intended audience from her "Preface by the Author" and L. Maria Child's "Introduction by the Editor"?

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We learned that Jacob's intended audience was a woman of the North and other people who were living in the free states.

Based on evidence from Chapter II, what impact did the slavery system have on relationships among women (whether white or black)?

In most cases, slaves were forced to stay away from their families. Harriet was encouraged by her grandmother. At the death of her mother, grandmother became responsible for her care. The rapport between a white woman and slaves was not as good as such. Their poor relationship could have been triggered by their harsh husbands, jealousy or racism to the extent that some of them do bad things to slaves. Within this chapter, there are other forms of kindness. The old woman was so kind to slaves, and there was no one among the whites who wanted it.

In Chapter III, why does Jacobs take special care to emphasise the "mother's instincts" and "mother's agonies" (p.17) of the slave women to her white audience?

All these things were emphasised by Jacob to ensure that women and other mothers as part of the readers to become passionately conferred in the predicament of the slave woman in the story. She has the intention of ensuring that people acknowledge that women are alike. They all have fear, instinct and ability to love like other people. Jacob's emphasis seems to the audience as a form of humanity. She has the desire that the viewer feels as if they are the slave woman.

Why is it essential to Jacobs's overall argument to claim that "slavery is a curse to the whites as well as to the blacks" (p. 46)? How (in Chapter IX) does Jacobs attempt to prove this claim?

It is essential for Jacob to argue that slavery is a curse to both whites and blacks because it involves torture, hard labour, lack of freedom and other kinds of mistreatments. This claim was proven by Jacobs in chapter IX when Dr Flint the slave master tries to rape the slave girl. Jacobs also portrays that the slave girl could not lead useful lives they desire or involve in any activity in the state. The slave girls were also viewed as sexual objects that their masters would use to fulfil their sexual desires.

How (in Chapter X) does Jacobs introduce the narrative of her decision to take a white lover? Why would Jacobs feel the need to make such introductory remarks about this narrative?

Jacobs introduces the narrative of her decision to take a white lover to inform the readers that she is not a harlot, Jacobs had to come out clearly and explain, "how remembrance fills me with sorrow and shame" (59). She did not decide ignorantly but ensured she made a decision that other women would understand. Jacobs went ahead to make one primary remark of the incidents, she explains, "O, Ye happy women, whose purity is preserved from their childhood, who have been having the freedom to identify the object of their affection, whose homes are secure, do not judge the poor desolate slave girl too severely"(60). She also adds that "I feel that the slave woman ought not to e judged by the same standard of others" (62). It was essential to making this kind of assertions because her story is very controversial to make, but it does not mean that she was advocating for premarital sex. She wanted to send the message to readers that white and black women were going through different conditions.

Why does Linda finally decide to take flight? (See Chapter XVII.)

Linda decides to take a flight because her children had been brought from the grandmother residence to the house of slave master as a way of controlling her. Lind has a strong will, but she has the desire to ensure that her children receive the best from her. It is in her interest that they are safe and well taken care of, but when they have been brought in the house of Dr Flint, she became scared. Because she believed that there was nobody to take care of her children, she had to leave the same night to give them a stronger hold on me. The fact that she believed that her children would be treated as servant and slaves, she could not accept it. Linda, therefore, had to leave them because there is no need to stay next to them.

How does Linda's position in Chapter XIX conform to and challenge the ideals prescribed by the Cult of True Womanhood?

The position of Linda is the opposite of what is expected of other women to be submissive, piety, domesticity and purity. She believed that women must fight for their right and choose what they want in life. The cult of true womanhood requires women to have four virtues namely purity, submissiveness, domesticity and piety. According to Linda, these virtues are fundamental, but men should not abuse them as it is happening with the slave master who wanted to use her as a sexual object.

What does Mrs Flint's "grief" about Aunt Nancy's death suggest about the psychology of whites in the South and the North? (See Chapter XXVIII, p. 121.)

Mrs Flint was sentimental about Aunt Nancy's death and suggested that she should be buried where their family members are usually being buried although, the grandmother of Harriet rejected the proposal. It's surprised Mrs Flint because it had never happened in her life when a slave had a feeling. She made her proposal out of respect because Aunt Nancy played a significant role in their family or household. She perceived Aunt Nancy as one of the members of their extended family, and therefore she could be buried as one of their own not a slave.

What surprising fact do we discover about Benny in Chapter XXIX, and how does Jacobs relate this to the psychology of children under slavery? (See p. 128.)

When Harriet is bidding goodbye to Benny as illustrated in chapter XXIX, it is indicated that the son is also a trickster. Harriet discovered that Benny sensed that his mother was in the storeroom hiding when Hellen was sent to Brooklyn. He realised that there is somebody in the room because he has had someone cough. Harriet asked him whether he had informed her sister about her suspicion. He replied that he had never done so but after hearing the cough. He also asked if he has seen her playing with children on the other side of the house. He made several attempts to coax because he was afraid of being heard coughing. Such behaviours are extraordinary when they are being done by a boy less than twelve years but a slave.

10. What conclusions can we draw about racial categories from the story Ben's attempts to learn a trade in Chapter XXXVIII (pp. 151-152)?

From the words of Harriet in the same chapter, we can learn that supporting oneself through trade was almost impossible for black people. Benny was embraced and loved by many, but the situation changed immediately when other people discovered that his mother was a black woman that he was only ostracised and abused verbally.

Works Cited

Jacobs, Harriet A. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 1861.